To new chapters

To new chapters

• Monday, May 21, 2018

• Chapel Hill, NC, USA

I feel like I blinked and it was over. I didn't believe people when they told me college would fly by. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, sure it will" I'd say to myself. Man, what I wouldn't give to go back to first-year Maelin. What I wouldn't give to tell her to go to every football game and every possible basketball game. What I wouldn't give to tell her to go out to Cookout at 2am with her friends rather than convincing herself sleep was more important (it wasn't/isn't). What I wouldn't give to tell her to savor every. single. moment.

The past four years at Carolina have been nothing short of breathtaking. From sunny afternoons on the quad, to staying in the business school until 2am working on the group project we told ourselves we wouldn't save until the last second (ha), to walking to Franklin Street after my first-ever day of college classes to meet my new friends who would soon become my family, I'm overwhelmed with sweet memories that included sweeter friends. My time at UNC was just that... sweet. From playing in the National Championship Sophomore year, to WINNING the National Championship Junior year, the moments that separated the first and last day of classes never ceased to take my breath away.

And yet, here I am. After four years in what's known as the "southern part of heaven," UNC forced me to leave, okay more like graduate... but I still feel the same sense of betrayal. The better-half of the fall semester of my Senior year was spent trying to find what they call a "job". Apparently, this "job" is what you do after you graduate? Still not sure on the specifics but again... here we are. Little did I know, the dream company I found called Bounce Exchange would soon show as much interest in me as I did them. They would soon convince me that moving to New York City as a recent college graduate was a good life decision... jury's still out on this one.

And that brings us to now. The post-graduation, soon-to-be-NY-resident version of the Maelin Harris who would have never imagined she'd end up in New York City. There will be struggles and there will be moments when I look at myself and say "what were you thinking?" but I'm hopeful those moments will be overshadowed by more breathtaking moments from soon-to-be breathtaking memories in the Big Apple.

Love,
Maelin